Juliet Blank

Associate Editor

Heartburn and acid reflux – both signs of indigestion – are unpleasant and uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms. We look into what causes them and why they're so common in pregnancy. Plus, from home remedies to over-the-counter or prescribed medicines, we look at how to get rid of heartburn safely and effectively.

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What is heartburn?

Heartburn – or acid reflux – describes the burning, uncomfortable feeling in your chest that can begin after eating.

It's caused by stomach acid that escapes into the oesophagus tube that links your tummy with your throat and mouth. The acid

Although heartburn and acid reflux mean the same thing, they're not the same as indigestion.

In fact, technically, heartburn and reflux are actually a symptom of indigestion (alongside others such as fullness, bloating, nausea, gasiness etc).

However, most of us use the terms indigestion, acid reflux and heartburn equally to describe the general discomfort such as pain, burning and acid after eating.

What causes heartburn in pregnancy?

According to the NHS, heartburn in pregnancy is caused by three main things. These are:

alginates – these form a layer on top of the stomach contents and help to reduce reflux. Gaviscon is a commonly used alginate during pregnancy.

If antacids don't help you may be prescribed something stronger to help such as:

ranitidine

omeprazole.

These are safe during pregnancy and work by reducing the amount of acid your stomach makes.

Taking Gaviscon during pregnancy

Many mums swear by Gaviscon during pregnancy to soothe and relieve the burning and acid caused by heartburn and indigestion.

Gaviscon is safe to use in pregnancy because it doesn't need to be absorbed into the blood stream to work.

According to Gaviscon:

'It works with the body by forming a protective barrier on top of the stomach contents. The physical barrier helps prevent the acid rising into the oesophagus (food pipe) meaning that Gaviscon does not need to be absorbed into the bloodstream to provide effective relief.'

Although it can be tempting to swig it from the bottle when your heartburn is bad, make sure you stick to the amounts your doctor prescribes.